Twenty guards. Ten armed and ten in their wolf form. But they weren't from our pack. They were different. The wolves even looked different. The colour of their fur was a mix of reddish-brown, grey, beige, and white.
But their attention wasn't on us. It was on something else. I turned to see large dire wolves growling at them and the guards from our pack were heavily armed with guns.
It looked like these unusual wolves provoked the dire wolves. Or did they think...
"Stop!" I shouted at my people. They saw Carter carrying Zade on his shoulder and growled louder. "I am your Luna and you will obey. Your Alpha has been shot with a wolfsbane tranquilizer." My voice was carried by the wind.
The dire wolves stepped down. "Please take Zade to the pack doctor. I'll deal with them." I turned to look at the unusual wolves but they were gone. It's like they vanished into thin air.
I shook my head and focused on Zade. "In that case we'll all go."
"Esra!" I heard Jackson call me.
"What happened? Who or what were those people?" I asked him.
"They claim to be another pack." Jackson said.
"Another pack?" I muttered to myself. "Alpha Frederic." I gasped.
"Yeah, the Alpha's name is Frederic. How'd you know?"
"Long story. I think it's better if I discuss it with Zade first." I turned to Zade who was still knocked out cold. I chuckled and shook my head.
"I'm gonna be honest. He's hilarious asleep." Jackson laughed. I chuckled at him and laughed.
"If you only hear the things he told me. He even started eating my apple pie." I said while laughing.
Jackson burst into tears. "He ate pie? Oh my god!" Jackson fell on the floor laughing. "He doesn't eat pie. Oh my god! I have to tell him when he wakes up."
"I doubt he'll listen. Anyway, we should get going." Jackson said. I nodded and followed him back to the pack house. "I'm going to check on Maristela." I told Jackson after we arrived.
"Who's Maristela?" Carroll asked.
"Uh..." I looked at Jackson then back at Carroll. "She's..." I sighed. "I'll explain later. You should come with me to see her."
"Oh, I would love to." Carroll said.
Carter appeared from one of the hallways and followed us to see Maristela.
They commented on how beautiful and amazing the pack house is. I couldn't agree more with them.
I knocked on Maristela's bedroom door and heard her cute voice answer. "Come in."
I opened the door slowly and peaked inside. "Esra!" She shouted and came to hug me.
I went on my knees so that I could give her the tightest hug ever. "Oh, I missed you."
"Where have you been?" She broke from the hug.
"I had to do something. Again." I chuckled. "Look." I gestured toward Carroll and Carter. "These are the people who took me in when I was in the human world."
"Nice to meet you." Maristela said shyly.
"Oh, it's nice to meet you too." Carroll gave Maristela a tight hug and a kiss on her cheek. "You're so pretty."
"Thank you." Maristela said. "Where's Zade?"
"He's not feeling well. Do you want to see him?" I asked.
"Yes, please."
"Okay. Let's go." I smiled and took Maristela to Zade's room.
I showed Carroll and Carter to the living room as they spoke to Jackson afterwards.
I opened the door and found Zade awake. "Zade." I smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, but I'm not quite sure what happened." He sat up straight when Maristela went to hug him.
"You stormed out of the pack house earlier." Maristela said. "You seemed pretty mad."
"Maristela, please can you give Esra and I a moment?" He kissed her forehead. Maristela nodded and left the room.
"Seriously Esra?"
"Zade, it's not what you thinkâ"
"It's definitely what I think, Esra. Couldn't you tell me that you were leaving? You think a note is fine? You think leaving on your own is fine?" He shouted.
I winced. "I needed time to myself. Why can't you just accept that!"
"Because I am your mate and I deserve to know!" He got up from the bed despite the pain he felt.
"How did you know I'd be there?" I asked.
"I gave you that ring for a reason. It shows me exactly where you are every minute you wear it."
"Oh, so you put a tracking device on me?" I scoffed. "You think I'm gonna go around sleeping with other people. I'm sorry but I wouldn't even sleep with you!"
"I was worried they were going to kidnap you. Those wolves that came today. They were looking for you." Zade said.
"So you knew there were people after me and you didn't tell me? Since when do you control my damn life?"
I couldn't believe Zade actually thought he could control my life. Mate or not, he had no right to make decisions about my life.
"Esra, just listen to me. I'm tired of arguing with you." He paced up and down the room.
"And I'm tired of you. You act like you own everything."
"Maybe because I do own the things that you're referring to. I own you Esra. You're my mate!" The room fell silent. I stayed silent. "Esra, I didn't mean to-"
"No. You treat me like I'm an object. Well guess what, I'm a flippin' living organism with a damn soul." I glared at him and exited the room. I banged the door when I closed it.
I went to the living room to fetch my back pack that I left on the couch.
"What's wrong, Esra?" Carroll asked.
"Not now. I need to be alone." I stormed away from them and into the corridor. They spoke softly to each other but I still heard them.
"What happened?" Carter asked.
"She and Zade probably had another argument. I think it's best you let her be alone for now. They're kinda in a rough patch." Jackson said.
Carter sighed. "I just want her to be happy."
That's all I heard until I went to my room and once again locked the door. I rested my back against the door and cried. My back slid down the door as I buried my head between my knees.
The only good thing about the rooms is that they are all sound proof. So no one actually heard Zade arguing and no one would hear me crying. I'll be all alone. Just what I wanted.
It was almost ten in the night and I was extremely tired. I cried myself to sleep as I held onto my pillow tight.
__________________
I woke up late the next morning with a terrible pounding headache.
I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the time. It was twelve in the morning. Well midday.
I showered and changed into a pair of light denim jeans and a red shirt. I tied my hair into a bun and walked out of my room with my hands in my pockets.
While I decided on what clothes to wear, I had the most brilliant but terrible idea ever. I was going to visit that new pack. If I could find them.
I took an apple and nibbled on it. I heard footsteps. Zade.
"Esra, I'm soâ"
"Nope. I'm not listening. By the way, I'm going out today."
"What?"
"I'm. Going. Out." I stated.
"With whom?" He asked. "Yourself?"
"I'm taking Maristela."
"You should takeâ" I cut him off again.
"Nope. Just me and Maristela. That would be equivalent as an apology since you're no good at apologies." I said and brushed passed him.
I didn't hear him follow me and I was glad he didn't. I got Maristela who waited for me in the living room. She was really excited to be going out. She hasn't left the pack house ever since she arrived here.
I took one of the Jeeps that was parked in the backyard. The other cars were not suitable to be driven in a forest. I buckled Maristela's seat belt and started the ignition.
"Where are we going?" Maristela asked.
"We're going on a mission. Don't tell Zade." I winked.
"Really? I get to go on a mission with you?" She asked excitedly.
"Yep." I nodded and drove away from the pack house.
I drove for about an hour until we reached the other side. There was a part of land no one seemed to own. Those other wolves must have owned it and kept their pack a secret.
I was glad to know that I also had access to the mountain ash around the border. Only the Alpha and Luna could open and close the gap that Zade created. It would have been helpful if Zade mentioned it a bit earlier. And now I understand why he didn't tell me.
Not like it made a difference because I still got out.
Maristela stared out the window. All of a sudden she seemed sad.
"Maristela? What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking about something." She sighed.
"Like?"
She turned and looked at me. "It's my birthday today."
I stopped the car dead on the tracks. "What? And you're only telling me now?"
"I was scared." She said.
"Why?" I asked.
"I didn't want to worry you all. You all seem so busy lately." She stared back out the window.
"Hey, we'll never be too busy for you." She turned her face back to me and I smiled. "Happy birthday."
She gave me a shy smile as I started the car again and continued driving.
We reached the sea border ten minutes later. It was like an island but it had a part of land attacked to the rest of the Enchanted Forest.
"Here goes nothing." I took a deep breath as Maristela and I opened the car doors at the same time.